Halfway between winter and summer, the New Moon in Taurus soothes us with bird songs and the smell of fresh earth. Taurus invites us to slowness, and enjoyment of lush blooms and thick green. The trees sing: think less, enjoy more. Replace thought with embodiment, worry with pleasure.

Venus, the Ruler of this New Moon, is conjunct the wounded healer, Chiron, and square to Saturn, testing our relationships, values, and finances. For the past month, these areas of our lives have been up for review, and underlying issues have been brought to the surface. Saturn helps us to accept responsibility, and to understand our relationships in a more realistic light. Chiron can trigger old wounds, but in so doing offers an opportunity to heal.

Mercury conjunct Uranus in Aries is another potent pattern that coincides with the New Moon. Mercury-Uranus ignites genius, offers original, innovative ideas and solutions. This is not the kind of thought that comes from long hard thinking, but from a clear mind. The less you think, the better you think, and the Taurus New Moon can really help us to still the mind. A clear mind is open to ideas that are offered from beyond. With Mercury retrograde, the insights will likely relate to ideas that we’ve been mulling over for some time.

Mercury and Uranus are trine to Saturn, which lends longevity to ideas that come through at this time. Saturn stabilizes and supports. It helps us to make practical and real what otherwise could be fleeting.

Mercury may be retrograde, but Mars flies forward, now in curious Gemini, sextile the North Node, we are supported in moving toward our goals, toward the future. Paradoxically, with Mercury retrograde, our progress at this time is likely to involve revisiting old ideas, reconnecting with people from our past, or reflecting on history. How can we move forward by acknowledging the past and honouring our roots?

This new cycle in Taurus continues a theme we’ve been working with for a couple months already, of clarifying our values, and deepening our sense of self worth. How do you give your power away, how do you undermine your own worth? How can you remind yourself of your own beauty and genius? How can you remind yourself you are worthy?

This is the time of year when the initial rush of energy brought in with Aries settles in its rhythm and works in a more subtle way to sustain and support. We witness the flowering of new life and fertile earth and indulge in texture and taste and touch. We’ve made it through winter. Mid-spring offers rich rewards: enjoy them.